SINGAPORE. — Max Verstappen suggested he could turn his back on Formula One sooner than expected if the sport’s governing body stopped him having fun and being himself.

Red Bull’s triple world champion was ordered by stewards to do “work of public interest” with the FIA after he used a swear word in a press conference at the Singapore Grand Prix last Thursday.

The penalty, which he described as ‘super-silly’ on Sunday, led the Dutch driver to give only terse replies in FIA press conferences and meet reporters elsewhere in a paddock media huddle.

He did the same after finishing second in the race behind McLaren rival Lando Norris, using the opportunity to explain further why he felt so strongly about the penalty.

“These kinds of things definitely decide my future as well,” he said. “When you can’t be yourself or you have to deal with these kinds of silly things.

“I think now I’m at the stage of my career that you don’t want to be dealing with this all the time.

“It’s really tiring. Of course, it’s great to have success and win races but once you have accomplished all that, winning championships and races, then you want to just have a good time as well.”